Meeting the Parents
by Azamiko
Summary: Mai is graduating soon and wondering what she should do with her future. Her planning is interrupted, however, by the entrance of Naru's parents.
1. Chapter 1

This was going to be quite a bit longer...but then, that seemed like such a nice place to stop. The next chapter should be up soon, because this has been bouncing in my head all day. Plus, I just stated watching/rewatching episodes. I almost forgot how cool Naru is.

FANfiction, yeah?

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Chapter 1

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"Mai. Tea."

Kazuya Shibuya, otherwise known as Naru, never changed his daily greeting. It drove his part-time worker, Mai Taniyama, absolutely nuts. Of course, due to the nature of their work, she felt like she was going nuts most of the time anyway. After all, sane people didn't have dreams about past events, or sense strange things when they walked into a house. No, those sort of creepy things were saved for special-but-not-crazy people, like her.

"Hai, Naru." Sighing, the young woman began making her boss' tea, something she could do in her sleep after working for him for over two years. By this time, she knew exactly how he liked it, as well as what occasions might cause him to change his preference for the moment. He drank black coffee when he hadn't gotten much sleep and espresso on the days when she had time to stop by a certain little café he liked before coming in.

Mai sighed again, thinking about how much she knew about her boss. Sometimes it seemed like she knew everything, but other times she felt like he was as mysterious as the day they'd met. He was as closed-mouthed about his past and his life as any super-hero with a secret identity.

Putting the tea on a tray, along with a small plate of sandwiches, Mai headed for Naru's office. She opened the door without bothering to knock. He wouldn't answer a knock anyway.

"I picked up some of those sandwiches you like at the deli earlier, Naru. You have to stop skipping lunch; it's not healthy. And I know that it's not that you're not hungry. You always finish off whatever's put in front of you!"

In the past Mai had waited for her boss' acknowledgement before speaking, but eventually she'd realized that all that would get her was inquiries about her staring problem. So, she'd finally realized that it was much easier to just interrupt whatever he was doing and assume that he listened. Even if he still ignored her, it was much less frustrating than waiting for the 'thank you's that never came.

"Oh, and while you were out, Madoka-san called. She said that you'd regret not getting back to her right away." Well, _that_ caught his interest. Mai found herself staring into cool blue eyes that, even after all they'd been through, all the ghosts and curses and spirits, still managed to make her breath catch in her throat.

"Did she sound worried or upset?" Almost worse than his eyes was his voice; deep and fluid, with more than a hint of arrogance, it was all lord-of-the-manor.

"No, actually she sounded like she was laughing. She talked to Lin for a few minutes, though, and he turned a little pale."

As petty as it was, Mai loved it when she could see the hints of panic on Naru's face. When they'd first met, and for a long while after that, she'd thought that he was in control in every situation. It was a long time before she'd known him well enough to read his face even some of the time.

The other workers found it hilarious that, instead of using her ability to read his moods to make sure he was never angry with her, she preferred to use what she knew to annoy the heck out of her narcissistic boss. After all, he had made sure to make remarks on her lack of knowledge and skill in their field from the first day. If she teased him now by baiting him in public, well, then, she figured that it was an even trade. Both of them did their very best to annoy the other.

Sometimes Mai wondered why she enjoyed it so much. She had grown to like her boss very quickly, and by now, it was more than like. However, somewhere along the way, she had finally decided that if she couldn't have his heart, she'd at least have his respect. And if he refused to respect her for her skills, well, then, she would make him respect her as a worthy adversary.

When she'd voiced this thought out loud, Houshou Takigawa, who she called Monk-san, had rolled his eyes and asked if she didn't worry about being fired. He and their resident Miko, Ayako, had cracked up when they realized that the thought of being fired had never entered her mind.

Strangely enough, it had been Lin-san, the stoic full-time worker, who had defended her, saying that Naru wouldn't dare fire her when she had just learnt exactly how he liked his tea. Of course, his next remark, something about her stalking abilities, didn't make her feel any better.

But it was sort of true, she had to admit. Even Masako had given up, stating that perhaps Naru just wasn't the type to fall in love. Mai wanted to give up on him, she really did. It would have been more comfortable if she could just think of him as her boss, or even just as a friend. But no, no matter how much they argued, no matter how little he seemed to care, Mai couldn't help her feelings for the dark boy.

So, she stuck around, didn't leave no matter how much he pushed her, and eventually, she'd found herself…comfortable. It was odd, one look from Naru and her heart would pound, accompanied only by the sound of the blood rushing to her face. However, a good portion of the time, it wasn't the pulsing of what Ayako had, blushingly, defined as 'physical' love that Mai felt, but the warmth that the older woman had said implicated something more real. His presence, for whatever reason, made the part-timer feel safe and happy, even through their battles.

And now, that might be ending, along with her time here.

Sitting back at her desk, she glanced at the papers that had been tormenting her for the past week. Acceptance letters to universities. Scholarships. Everything she'd worked for, no matter how many times her boss called her stupid. All the schools her mentor had suggest had accepted her, just like she'd known they would.

There was only one small problem: accepting any of them would require that she move to another city, meaning that she would have to quit working at Shibuya Psychic Research. She would have to leave the friends who'd become her family, and the work that meant she was helping someone.

She would have to leave Naru.


	2. Chapter 2

Um...Naru's much more introspective, so there's not much talking in this chapter. Thanks to everyone for reading. Oh, and I hope you're prepared for massive spoilers...Mwahaha.

FANfiction means...

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Kazuya Shibuya, called Naru or Noll by those close to him, knew that his part-time worker was anxious about something, but, like most things she worried about, he decided that it probably wasn't something he needed to concern himself with. After all, she was always worrying about something or someone.

Once she had delivered that slightly disturbing message and left his office, the nineteen year old was left to either go back to reading, or to contact his mentor as per her request. Standing, he decided to do neither and began to pace the room, brooding.

His parents had been pushing for him to move back to England for a long while now, and lately, even Madoka had dropped a few hints. She never came right out and said what she thought, but she felt free to mention just how much his parents missed him every chance she got. Lin, the Chinese man who'd initially come to Japan to keep an eye on him but had remained out of loyalty, thankfully stayed quiet on the subject, but all that did was frustrate the younger man. He knew why Madoka and his parents wanted him to go home; he didn't know why Lin seemed strangely reticent on the subject, even when Naru outright asked for his opinion.

Naru, obviously, didn't want to go. He'd made a comfortable place for himself here in Japan, and though he'd lived in England for most of his life, Tokyo just felt like home. SPR, the business his father had funded, had gained a certain fame, and he told himself that it would be ridiculous to leave it in someone else's hands, where it would assuredly fade into oblivion.

Perhaps, too, he felt the need to stay within traveling distance of the place where he'd finally found his twin brother's body. Their house in England didn't make him feel their connection, but he couldn't help but feel it here, in the country where Gene had died.

He continued to pace while considering new arguments he could make for staying in Japan, preferably without hurting his parents feelings. As cold as he seemed, he really didn't like hurting people, something that his assistant Mai finally seemed to understand.

A brief smile crossed his face as he thought of what had happened on their most recent case. The little girl they'd been questioning had refused to talk to him, saying that he was scary--which Mai had heartily agreed with. But then, she'd smiled and said that he was only scary so that the monsters would be afraid of him. The little girl had been delighted at the thought, and had asked him to check her room for monsters every night before bed for the entire time they'd been there. Mai and the other workers thought it was hilarious.

He'd taken to leaving Mai to question children a while ago; undoubtedly they enjoyed her simple mind, but even he had to admit that it was more than that. Most people liked Mai, and it wasn't because she was good-looking or smart.

It wasn't that she wasn't pretty, either, he mentally corrected himself, and she wasn't a complete idiot. But it had been made clear, time and time again, that when the SPR workers were out and about, he and the famous television medium Masako Hara were the ones who had to fend off suitors. Which was, of course, made doubly uncomfortable by the fact that most of the people who became had prolonged contact Naru or the medium were their clients; so they _had_ to be polite.

The point was, while Mai was quite pretty; she wasn't the type to make men stop dead in their tracks. And though she seemed to do well in school, and had plenty of common sense, she often went with her gut instinct instead of stopping to think. This led him to the conclusion that it was not her looks that people liked about Mai but the girl herself.

It was only once they'd gotten to know the group that the clients started gravitating toward the young woman. He'd noticed it from the start; even on the first case Mai had worked on. People talked to her, they told her things without even thinking about it. All he could do was question people, but Mai often managed to get more information out of people just by having conversations with them.

Lin had noticed the change immediately . Naru had _always _been the one to question the clients, even when Yasuhara was pretending to be him, so letting Mai question the people who'd proven to be recalcitrant, or simply unable to remember details, would seem, to anyone else, odd. The older man hadn't said anything, in _exactly the same way_ that he wasn't saying anything about Naru choosing to remain in Japan. This frustrated Naru to no end; he was missing something; he _knew_ that he was missing something, but his assistant refused to say a word.

The dark-haired man paused briefly to take a sip of his now-lukewarm tea. Well, even if it was cooling off, it still tasted fine. Making tea was one thing that Mai did quite well.

And again, he had to correct himself. Mai was good at talking and listening to people, and she always finished the chores around the office with a minimum of fuss. She never intentionally slacked off, and despite the highly charged atmosphere under which they often worked, she wasn't inclined to panic or have mood swings.

Too, her powers had steadily progressed, though she still had trouble calling them on command. In fact, unless they were needed to help someone, they were pretty much dormant. If she left SPR and got a normal job, she'd probably never be bothered by ghosts or spirits, unless she entered a haunted building, of course. It was something that Naru pushed out of his mind every time the unwelcome thought forced its way in.

Thinking about it, there wasn't much that Mai was really _bad_ at; it was just that she wasn't dramatic about all of the little things she did. Yes, he was aware that she liked appreciation, but she never boasted about anything she'd done. In fact, she often downplayed her psychic abilities, something he--and the others--found continually frustrating. She wouldn't tell them about a scent, or a strange feeling, convinced it was her imagination.

And the thought was back again. Mai could, if she wanted to, have a normal life. She could leave SPR, find a normal job, and never have to deal with, not just the paranormal aspect of their work, but the irritation he knew he caused her as well. She could work with people who said 'please' and 'thank you' and didn't insult her intelligence every chance they got.

Growing bored with pacing, Naru dropped gracefully into his chair. The sandwiches that Mai had left were still sitting on the plate. Picking one up, he peeled back the bread a bit to examine the insides. Liverwurst and cheese, his favorite, only available at one deli in the entire area. It hadn't taken Mai long to figure out that, while he liked Japanese food, her boss actually preferred Western fare.

Naru bit into the sandwich almost viciously, finishing it in two bites before moving onto another piece. He needed a new case, anything to get his mind off of the strange way his friends--yes, he would admit, at least in his mind, to considering the SPR workers friends--had been acting. Because it wasn't just Madoka, Lin, and Mai, oh no! Everyone around him seemed to be acting oddly.

Houshou Takigawa, the Buddhist monk who insisted that his 'day job' was being a bassist and that his work as a monk was simply the back-up, had taken to not only acting nervously whenever the group got together--something Naru only knew because Mai had mentioned it--but also hugging the girl more than usual. The resident Miko, Ayako Matsuzaki, had been losing her temper more than ever in the past month or so. Masako had been pouting for a good month before abruptly changing moods and mercilessly teasing Mai. Even their priest friend, John Brown, and Yasuhara, the college student who helped with research had been acting oddly, though Naru grudgingly admitted that their oddness was bafflement at the actions of the others.

Still dwelling on the overall strangeness that had been his life lately, Naru finished his sandwiches and leant back in his chair.

His reveries were interrupted, however, by the sound of the outer door opening, and Mai greeting someone. The voices were muffled by his closed door, but still, as the conversation continued, Mai's voice sounded a bit…off. Frowning, he rose from his chair and headed to the door.

"Um, but--" Mai's voice was much clearer now, and her nervousness was obvious to the dark-haired man. His frown grew fiercer as he opened the door.

"Mai. What's going on?" His eyes locked in the young woman, Naru ignored the visitors for a moment. It served them right, for making her look so pale and shocked. Only after assuring himself that his assistant wasn't actually hurt, physically or emotionally, did Naru bother to look at the people who'd so surprised her.

Immediately, he felt his own eyes widen in a mixture of shock and disbelief. What were they doing here?!

"Hm, guessing from your expression, I'd have to say that Madoka didn't have a chance to warn you that we were coming." The man's voice was warm and deep, and the tone contained more than a trace of amusement.

The voice suited him; he was a big man, tall and stocky with graying-brown hair. His light brown eyes shone with the same amusement that could be heard in his voice. His outfit was casual, pants and a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

At his side was a rather tall woman; she was only an inch or two shorter than Naru with short, dirty blonde hair. Her eyes were a light blue, almost gray and they crinkled at the corners in a friendly way. Her outfit was pretty much the same as the man's, pants and a button-up shirt, though hers was blue.

Naru continued to stare at their guests, and Mai continued to stare at him, waiting for him to react so that she could follow his lead.

The woman's grin widened even more, and she twiddled her fingers at the stunned couple.

"Surprise, dear."

"Mother!?"


	3. Chapter 3

Hm, probably shorter than I meant it to be, but I didn't want Lu interrogating Mai right away. Heheh...It WILL happen, though.

Just a few more hints about how well Naru and Mai know each other...I dunno, as much as I like insto-love (just add water!); I like it even better when it's something that grows, or is just THERE.

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Mai watched in bemusement and more than a little shock as her stoic, cool-headed boss was subjected to the worst and best of all indignities: Parents. He was smiling, yes, obviously happy to see them. However, there was also a bit of pink warming his cheeks, and his eyes kept darting from the eager couple, to the door, and finally back to Mai.

His mother grabbed him into a hug and didn't seem to want to let go for the moment, while his father joined Naru in sneaking glances at Mai, who hadn't quite managed to lose the baffled expression she'd had when the Englishmen had entered and asked for Oliver Davis. Of course, the man--who was quite handsome in an older, dignified sort of way, Mai noticed--had corrected himself, changing the name to 'Kazuya Shibuya.'

"When did you get here? _Why_ are you here? Is something wrong?" Naru had pulled himself out from the embarrassment and shock of having his parents show up at his workplace out of nowhere, it seemed.

"No, no, dear! Nothing's wrong at all. We just wanted to see you, and it's been months since you last came to visit." There was a note of reproach in Naru's mother's voice. Mai turned her head to hide a smirk.

"Why don't we sit down?" Reassured and beginning to relax, Naru motioned to the couch behind them.

Mai smiled, deciding to give them a few minutes alone. She began the preparations for tea, knowing that Naru would have already finished his cup from earlier. While the water was boiling, she grabbed a plate of sandwiches, liverwurst and cheese, of course, and another plate of cookies. She doubted that Naru's parents--the Oliver's, she reminded herself--had stopped to eat on their way to see their son.

There was a short, deep laugh from the seating area. Mai smiled to herself, ducking into her boss's office to pick up the dirty dishes. She just finished washing them when the kettle signaled that the tea was ready.

"Tea?" Mai smiled brightly, pleased to note the slight widening of her narcissistic boss's eyes as he remembered his manners. She set the tray down before turning expectantly to the young man.

"Ah, yes. Mom, Dad, this is our part-time worker Mai Taniyama. Mai, these are my parents, Martin and Luella Davis."

Mai bowed.

"It's very nice to meet you, Oliver-san, Oliver-sensei."

"Please, it would be too confusing if you called us that. I'm Lu and he's Martin." Lu smiled at the young woman in front of her. Madoka had said that Mai was friendly, but she hadn't mentioned how _adorable_ the girl was! Immediately Lu began wondering what her grandchildren would look like.

"So, Mai--do you mind if I call you that? I can never get used to calling people -san and -chan--Madoka has told me a lot about you. You've worked with my son for a while, haven't you."

Nodding, Mai glanced at Naru from the corner of her eye. His mother seemed interested in talking to her, but did her stoic boss want some time alone with his family? Perhaps she should claim to have some filing to do.

Just as she was about to excuse herself, the door burst open with the cheerful enthusiasm that could only mean one person.

"Madoka!"

Lu hopped up from her seat with more energy than a forty-something year old woman had any right to have. Madoka was just as enthusiastic in greeting her English friend; the two women hugged, and beyond them Mai caught sight of an irritated Lin.

Happy to have something to do--not that Naru's mother made her uncomfortable or anything--Mai went to get two more cups of tea. She always filled the pot more than necessary, because on the off chance that they didn't have random guests stopping by, Naru, Madoka, and Lin would undoubtedly drink it.

Vaguely listening to the greetings going on behind her, Mai didn't notice Naru's approach. She jumped at his voice--his wonderful, horrible voice--being so close.

"Mai, you can go home. We're not going to get anything done with them here."

Mai looked at her boss leaning against the counter next to her. Nothing looked outwardly different, but there was a stubborn glint in his eye as he watched the older group. The young woman gulped; she knew that look. It was a look that had been directed at her more times than she could count. Naru's famous 'why are you being so _stupid_ look.'

She felt a bit sorry for Martin and Lu but figured that, as his parents, they could handle Naru better than anyone living. (And here Mai thought of Gene, and missed him. Even though it hadn't taken her long to decide that no, she hadn't been _in love_ with the ghost, she still counted him as a good friend. After all, he'd saved her just as many times as his living brother had.)

"Okay, Naru." Mai finished preparing the tea and ducked into the middle of the group to put the cups down.

"I'm going to be heading out now," she announced when Madoka glanced at her. The older woman nodded, and Mai grabbed her coat. Her hand was on the doorknob, when the door was suddenly opened from the other side.

"Mai-chan, my love! How cranky is Naru today?" Mai nearly groaned out loud as Houshou Takigawa practically bounced into the room.

Another look at Naru's face, and Mai grabbed her friend before he could do more than gape at the cheerful group occupying what he saw as his spot.

"Come on, Monk-san, you can buy me and ice cream, and I'll tell you all about my day."

The part-timer did her best to drag the not-exactly-small man back out the door. He tended to get excitable, particularly when strong, well-known psychics were involved. Or, in this case, the parents of a strong, well-known psychic, who he happened to adore trying to tease. If she let him, he'd be all over them for blackmail information on their cranky boss. And, strangely enough, Mai didn't really want Naru to have to deal with that, along with the surprise visit from his parents.

"Oh! Mai, you're leaving? I really wanted to talk to you some more." Lu pouted dramatically.

"So did I, actually. Do you think that you could have dinner with us one night this week?" Surprisingly, it was Martin Oliver who extended the invitation.

Mai was suspicious, of course. These were Naru's parents after all, and they were obviously friends with Madoka and Lin. But she couldn't say no to the pleading look in Lu's eyes, even if it meant ignoring the widened eyes of the young man she secretly loved.

"Um, sure, Naru has my number. We'll just…be going now. Bye!" Almost desperate to escape the scene of Naru's discomfort, Mai left, still dragging poor Takigawa with her.

The last thing she heard before the door closed behind her was Madoka and Lu squealing--actually _squealing_--over how cute she was.

Mai sighed. As interesting as it was, this really wasn't something she wanted to deal with right now.


	4. Chapter 4

These chapters just never seem to be as long as I want them to be...Then again, this chapter is kind of boring, anyway. Ugh...

Thanks for all the reviews!

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Naru stared suspiciously at his mother over the neatly set table. He and his parents, after promising Madoka that they'd eat with her the next night, had eventually made their way to a nearby restaurant. It was Japanese, so their utensils would come with their meal, leaving Lu with only her hands to play with as she avoided her son's gaze.

"Oliver--" She began.

"Naru, Mom. At least while were in Japan." Frowning, the young man glanced at his father, who looked far too smug for his liking. The only time the older Davis got that expression on his face was when he'd found an interesting new puzzle. Or an interesting new psychic.

"I can guess some of your reasons for coming here, but just so we're clear, do you want to tell me?"

Lu and Martin shared a Look but didn't answer, as their waitress chose that moment to come and take their order. Once the waitress was gone, Martin sighed and finally answered his son.

"You wouldn't believe that we just missed you?"

Naru shot him a look that screamed--or rather, since this was Naru, coolly stated--_No! I don't trust you! You're a psychic hunter AND a parent!_

Martin understood the unspoken words but simply shrugged, grinning sheepishly.

Lu decided that it was time for her to step in. "Now, Naru, we really did miss you. You call _maybe_ once a week, and when I call you, you're always working! In fact, from what Lin tells me, that's all you _ever_ do."

Naru scowled and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Lin needs to mind his own business._

"Mom, I've always been like this; you can't claim to think that something's wrong all of a sudden."

Lu continued talking, ignoring the interruption.

"And, yes, I have to admit that we were a bit curious about your assistant, too. Lin and Madoka are always talking about her, but you barely mention her." She grinned mischievously, and it looked so much like the grins Gene had flashed at him that Naru had to blink and force the image away.

"Mom, I don't know what you're trying to imply but--"

"And here you're supposed to be so smart!" The woman cheerfully interrupted. Her husband chuckled and covered his mouth. Naru had always been a little too serious, so Lu and Gene had made it their mission to tease him every chance they got. When Gene had died, though, Martin had feared that his wife wouldn't have the heart to continue their childhood game. It was nice to see that he'd been wrong.

"Naru, I'm asking if she is a part of the reason that you don't want to come home." Ah, and there was Naru's bluntness. Martin smiled fondly at his wife and son.

Naru, for his part, looked mildly horrified and more than a little embarrassed. He couldn't understand where his mother would have gotten an idea like that. True, he and Mai got along relatively well, now that she'd stopped being so sensitive, but to think that he could be in love with her…

"I am _not_ in love with my assistant, Mother!" Naru gathered himself, directing a Matsuzaki level glare at Lu.

Lu, for her part, blinked innocently. "Why, Naru, I never said _anything_ about you being in love with her!"

Naru's reply--whatever it would have been--was interrupted by his father's attention-drawing laughter. The boy sank down a bit in his chair as his face turned a shade of red that only his parents could inspire. The waitress brought their food over then, luckily, and the other diners went back to their own meals.

"Mother…" If he'd been anyone else, his voice would have come out a growl, but because he was Naru, it was simply impatient and cranky. He briefly wondered what Mai would think of this conversation before deciding that the girl would simply laugh at seeing him so flustered. She _loved_ seeing him flustered, he'd noticed.

"How good is she?" Martin interrupted the scolding, whether to defend or his wife neither could tell.

Lu blinked at the sudden topic change, but Naru answered his father immediately, having been expecting the question.

"It's honestly hard to tell. She doesn't answer questions well." Naru frowned in thought. "Mai doesn't trust her abilities. No, she trusts her abilities, but she doesn't trust herself. Most of her insights come in dreams, but she doesn't often mention them until we're halfway through the case."

He took a sip of water, ignoring his father's intense stare. He directed his own stare at his untouched meal and continued, letting a bit of his frustration show.

"Even when I ask if she feels anything, she says no, when it's obvious that she's felt _something. _It makes it difficult to figure her powers out. She's stubborn and always does stupid things without thinking, because she doesn't stop to listen to her intuition."

Martin flashed a smile and a wink at Lu, a silent admission that his wife had been right. Their son had indeed been keeping extraordinarily quiet about his young assistant in their phone conversations. Martin had assumed that it was simply Naru being Naru and ignoring everything that didn't have to do with work. However, his tone when he spoke about the girl was definitely not the same tone he used when he mentioned the other members of their team.

"Why haven't you mentioned this before? I was under the impression that all she had were faint impressions." Martin wasn't scolding, but Naru felt chastised anyway.

If he were being honest, he'd have to admit that he wasn't sure why he hadn't been more explicit when describing Mai's abilities. It wasn't that he was irritated at her lingering distrust, or that he wanted to be there when she finally gave in and admitted that her powers were stronger than she pretended. And it certainly wasn't because he wanted to be the one to figure her out. That was just silly, since it was simply something to do with his work. He'd never been jealous over test subjects before, like some of his colleagues had been, so why would he start now?

Unable to come up with an answer, Naru turned his attention to his food. By this time, it was warm instead of hot, and he thought for a moment of Mai's strange ability to make sure his food was hot when he ate it. Of course, that might have been because she would point and say 'Eat!' as soon as it was set down in front of him…Really, when had she stopped being polite towards him?

He was broken out of his musings by his father's next words.

"Actually, I'm planning on asking her to come back to England with us to participate in some tests."

Naru narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"Well, even if you wanted to--" the _which you obviously don't_ was implied--"You don't exactly have the proper equipment over here to test her abilities thoroughly."

Naru's stare turned into a glare. In his mind, he watched Takigawa and Matsuzaki teasing Mai for missing every blink. They'd treated the entire thing like a game instead of the test it was. Perhaps that was a small part of the reason Mai still had trouble accepting her abilities, he mused.

"She has school, and while they don't mind her taking off a few days for work, I doubt they'd let her leave for however long without some sort of penalty." Naru winced inwardly as he noticed how close to smug his tone had come.

Lu and Martin exchanged another glance, this one obviously saying _is our son usually this dense?_ Naru's frown deepened, what was he missing?

"Madoka said that she'll be graduating in just a month or two. Don't tell me you forgot? We thought we'd offer to let her stay with us while we conduct the testing; it could be a break before she enters University or something." Anyone else would have said that the dark-haired young man didn't react to the statement, but his parents knew him well enough to realize that yes, their son had completely ignored the fact that his assistant was graduating.

Another exchange of glances, and Lu cleared her throat gently.

"Has she spoken to you about what she plans to do after graduation? Madoka wasn't very clear on the details."

Naru's eyes were wide and glazed over in his 'thinking mode,' as his thoughts flew over the his friends' actions of the past months, particularly the excess of Mai-hugging. _That would explain…everything._ Cursing silently, he turned his eyes back towards the couple across the table.

"I'm not sure. If she has any plans, she hasn't discussed them with me." His voice was cold with anger. _How dare she!_ Naru didn't stop to ask himself what crime his mind was accusing the girl of, he simply scowled and planned the scolding she'd receive in the morning.

Worried about their son's major mood dive, Lu and Martin switched the topic back to safer topics. They spent the rest of the evening talking about their friends from home and trying to make Naru smile. For all that he was their adored son, the couple was more than willing to acknowledge that he was a stubborn little prat, and by the end of the night, both had decided that, whatever argument Naru was planning to start with Mai, they were on her side.

It wasn't until he was leaving them at their hotel that Martin brought up Mai again. "I almost forgot to ask you for her number, so we could invite her for dinner. And discuss her plans."

Naru's eyes became frosty as he rattled off the number. Lu decided not to mention that he had her number memorized. Doubtless Naru would just point out that he remembered any telephone numbers he dialed more than a few times. And then she'd have been forced to point out that he'd only started remembering their _home_ phone number when he'd left the country. Naru had a wonderful memory, but he'd never been one to memorize things when he could just write them down.

"So, we'll see you tomorrow, love. Dream well." Lu couldn't help herself; she winked slyly before exiting the cab.

Naru's only answer was a frustrated grunt.

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OMAKE:

"How good is she?" Martin interrupted the scolding, whether to defend or his wife neither could tell.

Lu blinked at the sudden topic change, but Naru answered his father immediately, having been expecting the question.

Naru smirked and, to his mother's surprise, winked. "Very. Quite creative, actually."


	5. Chapter 5

I wanted to put this up last weekend...but it wouldn't end. --; These two talk too much.

Thanks to all my reviewers!

FANfiction...dun-dun-DUN!

* * *

"_His parents?!_"

The near-shout was what finally caused the other patrons of the café to stop pretending not to stare at the odd couple. It wasn't the ten-year age difference that drew attention, though; it was the man's outfit. Houshou Takigawa had two jobs, one as a Buddhist monk, and the other as a bassist in a band. Right now, he was dressed for his second job, basically looking like a flashy cowboy. While it might not have seemed odd on the streets of Harajuku or Akibahara, in the little side-street in Shibuya , in a relatively quiet neighborhood, Takigawa's outfit stood out.

Mai rolled her eyes , mildly embarrassed by the attention. She sipped her tea--_how many cups have I drunk today?_--before nodding in resignation. Then she proceeded to grab the sleeve of her friend's suede jacket as he jumped up from their little table by the window.

"Monk-san, you are _not_ going back there!" Mai's serious voice was usually enough to get the rest of the SPR group to stop and listen to her, but Takigawa wasn't paying enough attention to her to hear it.

"C'mon Mai-chan! What are we doing here when there's such great blackmail material available back at the office?" The monk's eyes were bright and mischievous as he attempted to pull away from the girl's iron grip.

"_No_, Monk-san! Who knows how long it's been since Naru's seen them?" Her friend shot her a blank stare.

Grinning weakly at the other patrons, Mai tugged at the sleeve until the monk was once more seated. He finally seemed to notice their audience, but, instead of being embarrassed, he flashed them all a peace sign before turning back to Mai.

"What do you mean, little miss?" Takigawa was beginning to look a little paranoid--_what is he thinking?!_--so she hastened to reassure him.

"I just meant that he's been here for over a year already, and this is the first time they've visited. And he's never gone anywhere for more than a couple of days, definitely not long enough to go to England. Just let them have a day or two without interruptions before jumping them, okay?"

"Mai, you _love_ to annoy him. It's your way of flirting. What the heck is so different about this?" By now, Takigawa's expression had slipped from paranoid to suspicious.

"Nothing! Nothing's different, but I do have some common courtesy!" Mai glowered but didn't deny the man's assessment. After all, it wasn't like her feelings were a secret from anyone but Naru. _And with Naru_, she groused to herself, _it's more like denial than unawareness._

"Mai."

Mai turned her eyes away, unwilling to face the monk's knowing look. She knew, as well as he did, that if Naru's parents had come at any other time then she would have been just as eager to find out more about--and subsequently tease--her quiet boss. But with everything that was going on, with graduation and decisions looming over her head, this just felt like one more weight to add to her already heavy load.

"Monk-san, I'm probably going to be leaving soon." Mai stared sightlessly at the menu hanging above the cashier's head. "And I don't want any more regrets than I'm already going to have."

"What regrets? Mai, why can't you stay?" Takigawa let the frustration he'd been hiding show, knowing that nothing he could say would make the girl change her mind.

Mai's eyes traveled downward to her ice cream and tea. John always gave her funny looks for enjoying the two together, but she just laughed and teased him about his taste for pea soup with tomato sauce and hamburger. She'd mentioned it to Naru, wondering if they ate the same sort of things in England. He'd very calmly and specifically described the English dish called Haggis, and Mai hadn't been able to eat any meat for over a month.

Smiling wistfully at the memory, Mai finally met her friend's eyes. "I'm going to miss you guys, you know. But…"

Takigawa leaned forward, pushing his own cup of tea out of the way. It seemed like Mai was finally going to tell him _why_ she was leaving. It was something he and the others had been discussing whenever she left the room. For someone so friendly, they'd realized that Mai never really gave out any information about herself. How long had they known her before she'd revealed that she was an orphan, after all? It was something that she and Naru had in common, this dislike for talking about themselves.

"The closest school with the major and programs that I want is about two hours away. I simply won't have _time_ to work if I commute to school there, and that'll mean having no money for food and rent." Mai held up her hand, counting off her reasons.

"But that school isn't even my first choice. I'm not sure if I told you what I want to study," she glanced at Takigawa, who shook his head in the negative.

"I want to study sociology and psychology. There's a group I know of," and he didn't have to guess how, "that specializes in helping orphans and abandoned children. I'm not sure if I'd want to work with them, or just set up my own practice with an idea I have, but I want to be a child psychologist."

Mai held up a second finger and took a deep breath. This last reason was the one that her friend wouldn't like. It wasn't like her to give up, but even she knew when she was beaten.

"And the final reason…Monk-san, I'm just tired. Tired of trying to fight for something that obviously isn't going to happen. Tired of picking fights with him just so he'll look at me. Masako already gave up, so now I just feel stupid continuing."

Her eyes dropped again, ignoring the stunned look on Takigawa's face. She knew that it wasn't something that most people would understand. After all, most people would have given up on the crush before it had developed into actual love. Then again, as she often reminded herself, most people didn't work for a ghost hunter and didn't have dreams that involved said ghost hunter's dead twin brother. _Wow,_ Mai thought, _my life is really freaky._

"Mai…"

Sighing, Takigawa took off his cowboy hat to run his hand through his hair. _Well, now what do I say?_ Tight-lipped Mai had never let on that she had specific plans of study, even though she'd made it clear that she was going to university no matter what. And honestly, no one had ever really considered that she might give up on Naru. True, they'd talked about it, and Masako, perhaps feeling her own failure, had even encouraged it. But none of them had ever thought that she was the type to give up on people. She was the only one of them who matched Naru in stubbornness, or so they'd thought.

"You're…giving up then?" The words tasted bitter in his mouth. Mai had loved Naru for almost as long as they'd all known each other. To Takigawa, loving Naru was just a part of who Mai was.

"No, Monk-san. I'm not giving up on him; I'm just giving up on being in love with him." Mai fiddled with her spoon, scooping up melted ice cream before dumping it back into the cup. "Naru needs someone, but maybe it's not me."

At that, he closed his eyes, unable to bear the wistful sadness in her voice. Between all of the teasing, and all of the cheer and laughter, he sometimes forgot just how mature the young woman could be. She'd been alone and taking care of herself years before they'd met, and though she enjoyed acting silly with the rest of them, Mai was ultimately just as practical as she was compassionate. If she truly thought that there was no chance of Naru ever coming to love her, she wasn't so stupid that she'd continue chasing him.

"Talk to me, Mai-chan. I know this isn't coming out of nowhere, but…" In all of his not-quite-thirty years, Takigawa had never felt so useless as when he was around an upset Mai. She made you want to help her, but at the same time, unless it was physical danger--caused by non-physical beings or not--the girl could pretty much take care of herself. This left him feeling useless on more than one occasion.

"Monk-san, I don't even think he realizes that I'm graduating soon." Another sip of her tea, a steady gaze. The monk swore under his breath.

"Come on, Mai. He couldn't be that stupid, could he?"

Mai raised her eyebrow, something she'd picked up from Naru. It had taken days of practicing with her hand mirror during the slow hours at the desk, but she'd finally managed to do it. And then she proceeded to mimic Naru every time _he_ did it, which had, in turn, caused him to develop a twitch every time he saw a hint of eyebrow movement from his part-timer.

"When I confessed my feelings to him he pretty much said that I was imagining it and that I was actually in love with Gene." Mai let out a self-deprecating snort and gulped the last of her tea. "He had me convinced of it for a good couple of weeks, too."

Takigawa stared incredulously across the table.

"Are you kidding? Please tell me you're joking, Mai."

"Ask Ayako or Masako, they were there afterwards. My point is, Monk-san," and here she sighed, "is that he didn't even bother to refuse me. He simply refused to believe it. It's been about a year since then, and I still haven't thought of a way to get it through his thick skull."

"Have you thought about confessing again? You could simply explain that you thought about it and yeah, he's the one you're in love with. Even he couldn't deny something like that." _I think._ Takigawa ground his teeth, a habit he'd picked up after years of working with the young narcissist.

"I-I know that he cares for me as a friend. And maybe I'm a little closer to him than the rest of you. But if, after two years, he still doesn't think of me in a--in a romantic way, then why should I put my dreams on hold--or worse, forget them--just to chase him?" The young woman stared at her friend, willing him to answer, to tell her something she didn't know, some reason that could allow her to stay, or to leave without regret.

The monk was silent. What could he say to that? As usual, when it came to practicalities, Mai had considered all of her options before choosing the one that offered her the most hope. He couldn't say that he had been as mature at her age, or even now, if he were being honest with himself.

"We're gonna miss you, you know."

Mai smiled, her eyes bright; she knew that. It had taken years, but she'd found people to be her family.

"I'll visit, Monk-san, and I hope you'll come visit me. It's not forever." Takigawa smiled weakly. _Of course she's trying to cheer me up, instead of worrying about her own heart. It's Mai, after all._

"And who knows, maybe time apart will make Naru think twice about his poor harassed assistant!" Mai's smile turned into a smirk as she imagined her boss trying to train a new worker. He complained about her constantly, but wait until he had to deal with someone less in love with him! Even if the unsuspecting woman--or man--was taken in by Naru's dark and mysterious looks, his personality would drive them all away within a week.

Takigawa laughed, and they turned their conversation to more cheerful topics. When they were leaving, though, Mai stopped him, eyes averted once more.

"I'm not…I'm not giving up, Monk-san. But the way things are now, change is impossible. So," she took a breath and put her hands flat on the table. "I'm going to take a break for a while."

For a moment, all he could do was admire the spirit he'd grown to love. He hoped that any children he would have would be just like her. Finally, he grinned, standing. "I'm glad to hear that, little miss. It seems like I didn't overestimate your stubbornness after all."

"Monk-san!"

* * *

"C'mon Mai-chan! What are we doing here when there's such great blackmail material available back at the office?" The monk's eyes were bright and mischievous as he attempted to pull away from the girl's iron grip.

Mai growled. "No, Monk-san! I can't believe you'd take advantage of Lin's love of Korean dramas like that!" _Ugh, I can't believe I let that slip! Lin's going to kill me if Monk-san interrupts 'Smiling Pasta!'_


	6. Chapter 6

FANfiction implies...

* * *

Naru would never say it, but he knew that his normally grouchy nature got even worse when he was lacking sleep. So, when Mai came into work the next day, he refused to even look at her, knowing that if he did, he'd end up losing his temper. And while arguing with the energetic girl always helped him to focus a little more, since his perturbation was centered around her, he couldn't help but feel that he'd end up in worse trouble if he looked to her for the 'cure.'

Secretly, he was hoping that Ayako or Takigawa would come in, because while Mai was the cause of his confusion, those two were definitely the cause of his lack of sleep. He just couldn't figure out why two adults, fully capable of running their lives, wouldn't have the common sense not to call him in the middle of the night to drunkenly rant. The topic? Mai's imminent departure, of course.

So, at 2am--or sometime around then, he hadn't been quite able to focus on the clock--he'd been forced to hear _all _about how 'their little Mai-chan was leaving and _why_ wasn't he doing anything to _stop_ her?!' It hadn't taken him long to realize that the two were drunk, and if he'd been thinking more clearly, he might have wondered what they were doing together, drunk at around 2am. But then, even Naru knew that he wasn't quite at his best when just awoken.

"Naru! Here's your coffee! Didn't get much sleep last night, huh?" _Of course _Mai would choose this moment to pop into his office. Because _of course_ the best idea when he was in a bad mood was to poke at him.

"Hn." Pretending to read the documents that had been laying on his desk when he'd walked in, Naru tried to get his sluggish mind to work. He knew that he had some definite--negative--opinions about Mai's apparent plans, but did he really have any right to say them? There was nothing Naru hated more than butting into other people's lives.

"Oh, and your parents called; they're going to visit some local shrines this week, so they said that you don't have to worry about entertaining them."

_Why is she still talking? Do I look like Mr. Ray-of-Sunshine today?_ Naru clenched his jaw and glared at the papers in his hand.

"We also got a call from someone who's going to stop by later to talk about a case. He gave me an overview, and it looks pretty interesting. He'll be by just after lunch." Mai finally seemed to have finished giving him the news for the day. She smiled brightly one more time before turning to head back to her desk.

"Did my parents set up a dinner with you?"

Naru just couldn't understand himself anymore. He was in a bad mood, desperately trying not to take it out on the person who not-quite-caused it in the first place, and here he was, _prolonging_ their contact, and thus the chances that he'd say something regrettable.

Unwillingly, he raised his now-blank face to the smiling girl in front of him. For the first time, he realized that Mai's smiles hadn't been exactly…happy for a while now. She was still cheerful and energetic, but the smiles all held a hint of something….sadness or wistfulness, perhaps.

"Ah, yeah. I'll be having dinner with them next weekend. Your mom said not to tell you any more than that, actually. I think she's up to something…"

Nodding dumbly, still reeling over his realization, Naru barely noticed Mai's last comment before she closed the door.

"And you should take a nap; you don't want to scare off the client later!"

In a blink, she was gone, and his office was silent, just as he liked it. Or at least, that's how he'd always liked it before.

Naru's stare was still dark and blank as he leaned down to rest his head on his arms. He'd always liked peace and quiet. He's always preferred calm, unemotional people, people who didn't argue passionately but debated coolly. Yet, here he was, surrounded by people who were nothing if not passionate and energetic, and he couldn't help but be drawn to the one who was more passionate, emotional, and energetic than the rest combined.

And now she was leaving. One month, more or less, and he'd be here, not alone, but… No matter how noisy the others might be, without _her_, it would just sound like silence. He hadn't noticed it before, but she'd helped to fill the silence left by his brother's death.

_Gah! I'm being so melodramatic!_ Naru scolded himself. Of course he wouldn't let his emotions take over. That was only something people like Mai and Takigawa did. But that didn't mean that he didn't have the emotions. And it didn't mean that he couldn't feel sorry for himself--just a little--in the privacy of his own thoughts.

He heard the door to the outer office slam open and the muffled sounds of Madoka, Ayako, and Takigawa greeting Mai. The girl laughed at something one of them said before saying something that made them all quiet down.

Naru felt his eyes drift shut as he listened to the hushed voices of his friends. They might never know it, but he found it to be a strangely comforting way to fall asleep, for today, at least.

* * *

Staring coolly across at the young man on the couch in front of him, Naru waited for someone to speak. The college student had been there for a few minutes already, and he seemed to be getting more and more uncomfortable. His green eyes--_Contacts, definitely._--darted around the room, as if he were asking himself why he was there.

Naru didn't find this to be particularly unusual; a lot of people expected ghost hunters to be occultists or insane. They often looked around the office as if expecting to see skeletons or jars of ectoplasm laying around in the corners. Of course, most of them didn't dart looks at Mai as well, but that was…_Okay, _Naru admitted. _That's really annoying._

"Tell us about your case." Naru finally gave up on trying to have patience. Mai had complained, more than once, about his impatience with prospective clients. She'd even threatened to post signs warning them about him on the door. Naru had scoffed, until the day he'd arrived to find one taped underneath the SPR logo.

"It's my twin brother."

Every eye in the room immediately shot to the young man. It didn't seem to upset him, though; in fact, getting that out seemed to have calmed him down somewhat. He focused his stare on Naru, with a casual glance at Mai every once in a while, and ignored the others.

Madoka and Takigawa occupied the chairs, and Ayako sat on the couch next to the client. Mai was next to Naru, making it easy for the prospective client to watch her, Naru noticed. She took this slight break in the tension to speak up, hand already moving over her notebook.

"Um, could you start with your name?" She carefully didn't look at Naru, just like he carefully didn't look at her. One name came to both of their minds: _Gene._

"Excuse me, my name is Motomiya Shinsuke. I'm 22 years old and attending a graduate school nearby." He smiled, clearly not worried enough to refrain from hitting on Mai.

Naru's expression darkened, much to everyone's amusement. Not that Mai or Shinsuke noticed, of course. She was oblivious to things like that, and he was too busy staring at her and flipping his shoulder-length hair. Naru supposed that the other man could be called 'good-looking,' if you liked the narcissistic pretty-boy type.

_I don't like him._ Naru was openly glaring at the client--_Prospective client!_--by now, and this time, even Mai noticed. However, his voice was as calm as ever when he spoke.

"And what exactly is your trouble?"

"I dream about him crying every Thursday night, and wake up to find things moved on Friday mornings."

"I assume he's dead?" Naru ignored Madoka and Mai's winces at his tone. Shinsuke was meeting him, cool tone for cool tone, and it was starting to really tick him off. Especially since the college student's gaze was _still_ returning to Mai every few words. _Looking for sympathy, no doubt._ Naru scoffed inwardly, still perfectly calm on the outside.

"Yes, he was killed--murdered--when we were in preschool." Here, his voice broke out of its coolness for a moment into something like pain. Naru didn't even blink. "I evidently witnessed it, but I can't remember anything about that day."

"I see." The president of SPR finally stopped glaring at his prospective client long enough to lean over to glance at Mai's notes. True, he could remember everything they'd said, but it was so much more fun to watch Shinsuke's eyes narrow like that. Naru nearly growled at himself when he realized that he was giving 'back off, she's mine' vibes. And what was worse was that _he didn't care._ He _was_ possessive of her, and that thought didn't worry him as much as it might have a week before.

"You're a graduate student, right? How long have the dreams been occurring?" Naru ignored the weird looks Mai kept shooting at him when he didn't move back over to his side of the couch. It was difficult, though, considering how wide and innocent her eyes looked just then. Oh, and the slightly parted mouth wasn't helping much either.

Luckily, Shinsuke interrupted Naru's mental cursing before it spilled out loud. The psychic didn't really relish having his friends think he'd lost his mind.

"It's been happening since the first week of classes. It's only on Thursdays." Shinsuke watched as Naru glanced at Mai's notes again, this time in thought.

"What classes do you have on Thursdays and Fridays?"

"One class on Thursday, a higher level computer course. No classes on Friday."

"Does your brother say anything in the dreams?"

"He says 'it's her!' I'm assuming it has something to do with his murderer."

Mai and the others watched the verbal tennis with wide eyes. Two handsome young men, both with dark hair, pale skin, and unusual eyes (at least for Japan), coolly and calmly shooting questions and answers back and forth. It was, all in all, actually rather impressive looking.

"Are there any older students in the class?"

"No, the only person not in the same age group is the teacher. She's in her forties and more than a little creepy. She's always giving me these freaky looks. I think she has a crush or something on me."

With that, Naru abruptly stood, making everyone else jump out of their seats immediately afterwards. He barely glanced at Shinsuke as he repeated his usual order.

"Mai. Tea. Motomiya-san, there's nothing we can do for you. What you need is a good hypnotist and the police. Good-bye."

Shinsuke blinked, stupefied, as Naru casually dismissed him. The others weren't much better, though they looked a little sympathetic. Mai rushed to get the tea, and Madoka went into Lin's office, where she stored most of her work-related papers. Ayako and Takigawa sat back down and began a whispered conversation.

"Wait a minute! Aren't you even going to tell me why you refused?!" Shinsuke almost stomped his foot in frustration. He was _not_ used to being ignored like this, especially by girls. But Mai, aside from a sympathetic look or two, hadn't even seemed to notice how handsome he was.

_Not that I'm complaining about that_, Naru couldn't help but think smugly. In fact, he was so satisfied, he even felt generous enough to explain.

"Simple, Motomiya-san. You saw your brother murdered, now, years later, you meet a woman who looks at you suspiciously and suddenly begin dreaming about your brother. Even Mai could figure out what it means."

Realization slowly dawning on him, Shinsuke glared at his recent rival before storming out the door.

"Hm…" Madoka walked back into the room, tapping her lip thoughtfully. "Do you suppose we should send him a bill for that?"

Takigawa spoke up, looking dramatically horrified. "But that might encourage him to come back."

Grinning, Ayako answered. "Not likely! He does _not_ like our little Naru-chan! I swear, I could almost feel the chills emanating from him! What'd you do, Naru, shoot his dog?"

Feeling put upon, Naru tried to look innocent. Mai walked back in to see him with his eyes widened and lip jutting out just the slightest bit. She paused, eyes bugged out, until Naru turned his eyes to the tea tray.

"Don't be stupid."

"Yeah, if Naru were going to shoot someone, it would have been that arrogant little know-it-all." Madoka chimed in cheerfully.

"Hm, gee, is it just me, or does that description sound a bit familiar?" Mai pretended to think, shooting a smirk at Naru as she brushed past him to put the cup of tea on his desk.

Takigawa snorted, face red from holding in his laughter. "How many times did he touch his hair? Or flip it? I lost count." At that, he finally cracked up, slapping the arm of the chair in amusement. Madoka and Ayako joined in as Mai began cleaning up the leftover teacups.

"Don't worry, Naru. We like you better, anyway." She snickered, glancing up at her boss.

Naru stared coolly down at her, ignoring the strange, queasy feeling that settled in his stomach every time he was reminded of that she wouldn't always be there, teasing him and making him tea.

"I'm surprised you're not in too much pain to laugh like that, Takigawa and Matsuzaki-san." Abruptly, the monk and the Miko stopped laughing, suddenly looking hunted. The other two turned to stare at the embarrassed couple.

"After all, you two were completely drunk when you called me in the middle of the night. Is there something we should know about?"

Naru raised his eyebrow as Mai and Madoka started pelting the two with questions. Once he was sure the attention was away from him, with one final glare at the SPR workers, Naru retreated to his sanctuary, a closed door and a cup of tea, perfectly made.

But once the door was shut, he found that he couldn't sit still. Like the previous day, he began pacing, deep in thought. Also like the previous day, he couldn't keep his mind off of one person. Mai, the girl who'd glared and scowled at him while telling him that he was handsome. Who'd screamed at him and fought with him and tried to physically attack him more times than he could count.

Mai, the assistant who teased him and taunted him and kept him from sinking into the apathy he'd yearned for after Gene's death. Who remembered his favorite foods and made his tea just right. Who could understand his mood at a glance. Who acted so carefree and friendly but trusted very few people. Who had finally learnt to trust him, more than a year after their fist meeting.

Thinking about her was making his stomach feel worse, and now his head was starting to hurt as well. Finally sitting, Naru had to ask himself when exactly he'd begun expecting to see her every day. It hadn't been until after he'd come back from England, he was sure of that. He hadn't mentioned it, but with every case, every day she showed up smiling and cheerful, no matter what awful thing had happened the day before, Naru had been…surprised. Madoka, after hearing Lin and Naru's reports, was shocked.

"Idiot."

Why was he sitting here moping about this? Why was he moping at all? He'd never been someone to allow his emotions to control his actions. And when he absolutely had to act on his emotions--such as coming to Japan in search of his brother's body--he never felt confused about _what_ he should do.

"Idiot." He _never _talked to himself; it was a sign of turmoil, confusion. Yet, here he was, sitting in an empty room, calling himself names because he'd just realized how attached he'd become to someone who wouldn't be around for much longer.

"_Idiot._" So, the next question should be: what was he going to do about it?

* * *

So, at 2am--or sometime around them, he hadn't been quite able to focus on the clock--he'd been forced to hear _all _about how 'their little Mai-chan was leaving and _why_ wasn't he doing anything to _stop_ her?!' It hadn't taken him long to realize that the two were drunk, and if he'd been thinking more clearly, he might have wondered what they were doing together, drunk at around 2am. But then, even Naru knew that he wasn't quite at his best when just awoken. 

"Naru! Here's your coffee! Didn't get much sleep last night, huh?" _Of course _Mai would choose this moment to pop into his office. Because _of course_ the best idea when he was in a bad mood was to poke at him.

"I had that dream again." Naru winced, remembering the horror he'd experienced.

"You mean the one where your hair falls out and you gain fifty pounds? Don't worry, that won't happen for another twenty years, at least." Mai smiled brightly, making Naru wonder why he'd ever told her about that nightmare.


	7. Chapter 7

Um, yeah, it's been a while. I had my reasons, but I'm sure you don't really care. I should be updating more frequently now.

* * *

Mai struggled to keep her friendly smile on her face as she watched Naru's father jot something down in the little notebook he'd had by his side all night. She hadn't noticed it during dinner in the hotel restaurant, but from the glance she'd caught of it's pages, he'd been surreptitiously taking notes throughout their conversations. Needless to say, the realization had made her more than a little uncomfortable, particularly when she thought about it and noticed that most of the conversation had been about her life, no matter how much she tried to steer it in other directions.

The real question was, though, why a psychic researcher would take notes about things like her favorite foods and fairy tales she'd been told as a child. (She sincerely hoped he hadn't been taking notes when Lu had asked her about her love life. It was embarrassing enough answering the question the first time, she didn't need it written down to remind her about her sad lack of one.)

After dinner Lu and Martin had invited her up to their suite for dessert, some expensive cakes from a bakery Mai had been meaning to visit. Once they'd sat down on the chairs in the outer room with their cake, Lu and Martin exchanged a glance and Mai knew that they were finally going to tell her the real reason she'd been invited for dinner. Martin began.

"Mai, we've been getting reports from Lin and Madoka about cases the SPR has solved. From what they've said, your skills have been useful on more than one occasion."

_Lin and Madoka? What about Naru?_ Mai glanced down at her plate to conceal her hurt. Why she'd thought that he'd have spoken about her to his parents she didn't know. Naru was never the type to talk about things that weren't work related or right in front of him. For instance, she'd only learnt his favorite sandwich when she'd already bought a few. It wouldn't have occurred to him to mention that he liked liverwurst and cheese if it hadn't been sitting on his plate, and even then, it was barely a passing comment.

"Mai?"

Blinking, Mai shook herself out of her thoughts to look at Lu. The older woman looked sympathetic, while her husband pretended not to have noticed the lapse.

"Oh, um. I guess I've been useful sometimes. But we've all had our moments, and it still usually Naru who figures out how things connect." Mai didn't mention Gene or her dreams because she wasn't sure what the couple knew. If they didn't know about her contact with Gene, finding out now could hurt them.

"Lin says that Naru has you do the questioning sometimes. He was surprised, and frankly, so am I." Martin grinned. "If you haven't noticed, Naru's not exactly the type to give control over to others, if he can help it."

Nodding, Mai took a bite of her cake. "Yeah, he'd do everything by himself if he could. Except make tea. He hates having to make his own tea."

Again, Martin and Lu exchanged a glance. Mai had no trouble interpreting this one, either; they screamed _What are we going to do about our workaholic idiot of a son?!_ Or something like that, anyway.

"He doesn't do everything by himself, though, as much as he'd like to." Mai didn't know why she was defending Naru to his parents, of all people. Of course they knew that he wasn't stupid. They'd known him for years before she'd even hear the name Kazuya Shibuya (or Oliver Davis). _But then,_ she hesitated, looking from Lu to Martin and back, _why do they look so unsure?_

"He knows his limits, and he knows that he can depend on us. You have no reason to believe me, but I really don't think you have to worry about him."

"We believe you, Mai." Martin said, his voice firm and sure. "Even if it weren't for your…abilities with people, you still seem to know Naru quite well." Ignoring Mai's incredulous look, he continued. "And Naru seems to trust you, strangely enough."

"Not that you seem untrustworthy, of course!" Lu hastened to add, with a glare at her husband. "It's just that Naru wasn't really what you'd call an 'open' person, even before Gene's death."

Mai grimaced. Somehow, that wasn't a surprise. What _was_ a surprise was the candid manner in which the Davis's were speaking. They were treating her like an old friend, not like a girl they'd met only days ago. Uneasily, Mai wondered just how thorough Lin and Madoka's reports had been. Had they mentioned her feelings for Naru? Were Lu and Martin treating her this way out of pity?

"I don't think it has anything to do with your communications with Gene, either." Martin said thoughtfully, tapping his notebook on the table.

_Well, that answers THAT question._ Mai thought dryly. Briefly, she tried to imagine telling her own mother about her job, or about Naru and his powers. It made her a little depressed to realize that she couldn't decide what her mother's reaction would be. She been so young when her mother had died; she'd never had time to get to know her as a person, rather than just as her mother.

"Speaking of which, could you tell me a little about those dreams you've had?" Martin's gaze sharpened as he grinned charmingly. Mai couldn't help but return his smile as she began to go over the details of her dreams. She'd taken to writing down her dreams, as well as any strong first impressions she had about people or places--a suggestion from Madoka--and so could promise him more details the next time he visited the office. He'd seemed particularly interested in the few occasions when she'd astrally projected herself into other places.

At the end of the night, the Davis's made their offer of a visit to England. They laid it out so carefully that Mai couldn't help but feel that it would be a good idea, no matter that it would mean that she'd be leaving SPR even sooner than expected. She promised them an answer before they left.

_After all,_ she told herself, _I can't build my life around trying to stay by someone who obviously doesn't need or want me there._

Blinking the tears out of her eyes, Mai stared at her phone. She'd gotten home an hour ago and tried her best to sleep, but it wouldn't come. She had a feeling--a compulsion--to do something she'd never done before, and she couldn't tell if this was another of her 'feelings' or if it was simply because her normal feelings were all mixed up. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore, and ignoring the time, she called Naru.

"Mai, is something wrong?" His voice was wide awake as he answered on the first ring. Mai curled on her couch with a blanket, trying to find something to say. After a moment of thought, she decided that the truth was probably the best bet.

"No. I don't really know why I called…I couldn't sleep, and I guess you couldn't either." Mai smiled a bit as she pictured his frown.

"What makes you say that?" Naru's voice was vaguely amused.

_Good, he's not angry._

"Don't play dumb, Naru. You never wake up on the first ring."

A silence, then, "How did it go with my parents?"

It was Mai's turn to be quiet as she wondered how much he already knew and how much she should tell him. "It was nice; they're really friendly. They told me lots of embarrassing childhood stories about you."

Naru snorted. "I don't _have_ embarrassing childhood stories."

"There were pictures." Mai retorted.

"It was Gene, not me."

Mai didn't know what to say to that. It was rare for Naru to mention Gene, and it had never been so casual before. Quickly, she decided to act like it was normal.

"I'll bet he'd be just as adamant that it was you."

"Probably." They were both quiet again as they contemplated the direction the conversation had taken. Neither was sure just how comfortable the other was with talking about Gene, but somehow, tonight, it seemed to be okay.

"Are you in bed?" Mai wasn't sure why she asked, except the image of Naru sitting by himself in a dark room just seemed so…lonely. He breathed out before answering, not quite a sigh, but something uncertain.

"Yes." It probably wasn't a good idea to return the question, he decided. Plus, knowing Mai…

"I'm on my couch. I just--couldn't sleep. I kept thinking that I had to call you. I don't know why." She closed her eyes, wondering why she'd said that. It sounded pathetic. It sounded like a girl who couldn't do anything without her boyfriend's approval. It wasn't like Naru had any interest in her insomnia unless it meant that he'd be late getting his tea in the morning, of course.

On the other side of the line Naru stopped breathing. What was he supposed to say to that? Closing his eyes, he let out the breath that had gotten caught in his throat. Something in his chest gave a painful lurch as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Alright," was the only word he seemed able to get out. Sinking from his sitting position, he opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. When had things gotten so complicated? His relationship with Mai had been easy, comfortable. He'd never had to think about it, even when she'd told him she loved him.

His heart gave that funny squeeze again as he remembered that day, remembered Mai's face when he asked her who it was she really loved. He wondered briefly what she'd say now, before dismissing the thought. She'd never mentioned it again, so he was left to assume that he'd been right, that it was Gene she'd loved. Naru, to her, was just…an annoying, arrogant boss, a narcissist she loved to tease. And there was that annoying pain again.

"Did…?" Mai's voice was hesitant. "Did your parents tell you about their suggestion? Request? That I stay with them for a month or so to get tested. And your father said that there's some people he'd like me to meet."

A pause. "They told me. You agreed?"

"I said I'd think about it. What about you?"

Naru raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"Your mother mentioned that you might be going home for a while over the summer holiday. Are you?" Mai frowned. Why did this conversation feel so…delicate? It felt like they were talking about everything except what they really wanted to talk about. They'd always been pretty comfortable saying rude things to each other, so why did they have so much trouble when they weren't passing insults?

Naru cursed under his breath. His mother had trapped him, and he was sure she was sitting back and gloating about it right this very minute. _Well, _he glanced at the bedside clock, _maybe not this very minute, but before she went to bed, definitely._ Making a decision, he gripped the edge of his sheet in his fist.

"Yes, I'll be there."

Knowing he couldn't see it, Mai smiled and let the tears come. She wasn't sure she could have accepted the Davis's offer if Naru weren't going to be there, no matter what she told herself. No matter what sort of brave front she put up, the truth was that she was going to miss Naru, miss seeing him every day, miss arguing with him about stupid things, miss those short moments when she _knew_ she'd caught a smile on his face. The closer the deadlines for the colleges came, the more she felt like she really didn't have the strength to really leave. Leave him.

"I'm glad."

* * *

OMAKE:

"Are you in bed?" Mai wasn't sure why she asked, except the image of Naru sitting by himself in a dark room just seemed so…lonely. He breathed out before answering, not quite a sigh, but something uncertain.

"Yes." It probably wasn't a good idea to return the question, he decided. Plus, knowing Mai…

"What are you wearing?" Her voice had turned husky and seductive in just a few words. Naru smirked at his ceiling.

"Nothing." He almost laughed as he heard a _thunk_ over the line. She'd fainted again! Really, she shouldn't try these seduction games when she was the one who ended up freaked out.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry. Don't ask. I'm on my friend's computer. This was supposed to be the final chapter, but Masako took over.

* * *

Mai wasn't sure what to think when a familiar urge overcame her the next night and she found herself curled up on the couch with the phone cradled between her shoulder and ear. By the third night, she'd lost her surprise when Naru picked up on the first ring. On the fourth night, after an hour of arguing with herself, she couldn't figure out why she wasn't more startled when the phone's loud bip-bop-de-boop interrupted her attempt at self-restraint.

As odd and awkward as she'd have expected to feel about her new nighttime companionship, Naru's casual acceptance—encouragement, even—made it, not only pointless, but impossible. Mai found herself wondering, once again, just how she could feel so comfortable around the person who evoked from her the strongest emotions. The conversations flowed naturally, ranging from psychics and the supernatural, to their childhoods and the differences between England and Japan. The two could say things to one another over the phone that they would never think to discuss in person, whether it was because of embarrassment, reticence, or just because it would come out wrong. Mai told Naru about the Gene she knew, and he, in turn, told her about growing up as the socially awkward twin. Though he didn't use the phrase, it was clear from his stories that Naru knew just how cold most people found him. Unable to offer false comfort—"you're a horrible liar, idiot."—Mai couldn't help but allow her sharp tongue to reassert itself.

"Gene isn't the one we followed down that cliff to face down a god. He isn't the reason we joined SPR, and he isn't the reason we stuck around even after finding out you've been _lying_ to us this whole time!"'

Mai turned red, knowing that her words could be read as exactly what they really were: another confession of love to a man who'd already rejected her once.

On the other end of the line, Naru sat, stunned, realizing the same thing. For all he'd pushed her away, even though it looked like she was getting ready to leave, Mai still loved him. Not Gene, not the twin who'd comforted her during her nightmares, but Naru, the one who'd sent her into them, time and time again.

"But _why_?"

Mai closed her eyes against the confusion in her friend's voice. For someone so confident in his intelligence and looks, he didn't have any faith in people liking him as a person. He'd grown up with a family that loved him unconditionally, but everyone else must have been wary and uncomfortable around the young psychic. Even more, from what he'd said, she'd gained the impression that Gene had been outgoing enough that Naru hadn't ever had to make friends on his own.

"Because we have faith in you. Because we know you have faith in us. Because we know that you'd do just about anything to protect us but trust us to protect ourselves. Because you can be kind at the most surprising times. It's not one thing, Naru. I think—" here she hesitated, wondering if she was going too far.

"I think it's just what family is."

A beat of silence followed her confession. Mai opened her eyes to stare at the ceiling. Naru closed his, knowing how much he'd missed in his obsessive grief.

"It is. Thank you."

They'd turned to lighter subjects after that, but both knew that they'd turned yet another corner in their labyrinthine relationship.

Strangely, as it became easier and easier to talk to Naru, Mai found herself struggling in her conversations with her other friends. John was busy with an event going on in his friend's Parish, but the others seemed more and more disturbed the closer they came to her graduation day. Takigawa, Ayako, and, strangely enough, Yasuhara were alternating between gloom that she'd be leaving even earlier than expected due to the Davis's interference and an almost manic glee that 'our little Mai is growing up!'

Masako, though, had the strangest reaction, reverting to the bitter condescension from their earliest interactions. After a week of snotty comments Mai dragged her out for a walk to confront her. Unexpectedly, as soon as they were alone, Masako began speaking.

"I'm sorry. I know I've been…unpleasant lately;" the medium raised her sleeve to block the lower half of her face in her usual defense mechanism. "It's not you; it's me."

Mai couldn't help an inelegant snort. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"Yes, Mai, I'm running away with John to live in sin and raise five children."

This was spoken so dryly that Mai took a few seconds to overcome her shock and begin laughing almost hysterically. Masako watched, smug smirk still hidden behind her sleeve.

Moods much lighter, the girls decided to head to a nearby park. Once there, they found an empty bench and began the conversation anew.

"Masako, what's wrong? I thought we'd become friends."

"It's stupid."

Mai opened her mouth to protest what she thought was a dodge, but before she could, the other girl continued.

"But that means you deserve an explanation even more." She took a breath, staring at her hands folded in her lap.

"You graduate next week, and then you're going to England with the Davis family. After that, yo9u're going to college and getting on with your life." She glanced at her quiet companion.

"At your graduation, your friends will be crying about how they'll miss you. Your teachers will congratulate you on starting a new phase in your life. Takigawa-san and Ayako will tell you how proud they are. We all are. The world is opening up for you in a million different ways, a million different possibilities and paths you might take."

Mai was openly gawking now. She knew that her friend spoke well. Masako, after all, was in the television industry. However, she'd never heard the medium say anything like this. It sounded like something written and rehearsed, thought Mai knew that that wasn't the case. Masako was pouring her heart out to Mai for what might be the last time.

"And while that's going on, I'll be waking through a haunted village in Hokkaido, co-hosting a show I've done a dozen times. Missing my school's graduation like I missed the festivals and trips and every other event that wasn't mandatory."

By now, Masako's eyes were closed and her face tilted towards the sun, a literal baring of the emotions within. No hand or sleeve could hide the turmoil anymore, anyway.

"No friends will cry over me because I never let anyone close. Some of them probably _weren't_ trying to use me or hurt me, but I wouldn't trust any of them enough to give them a chance. My only friend is you, Mai, and I'm so choked by jealousy that I don't even have time to be sad about you leaving."

Furious with herself, the medium clenched her jaw and waited for her friend's reaction. Mai was silent, considering how different her life was from the pre-SPR days.

"Of all the reasons I thought you'd give, that one…Nowhere on the list. I thought you liked your life."

"I do. Contrary to what you might think, most of the spirits I find are harmless. I've never had any troubles when SPR."

Mai grinned wryly. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

"I love my career, my family. I don't have many friends, but they're all good ones. My best friend," their eyes finally met, "keeps me from becoming too serious or snobby. Things I had trouble with before we met."

"I suppose it's just that I sometimes feel so _old_. Like my life is half over while yours is just beginning. And then I get jealous and angry and treat you like you _are_ just a silly child.

Mai didn't have to think about her answer.

"You've got to know that I'm jealous of you sometimes, so I'll just skip that whole embarrassing speech. You're beautiful, poised, and maturer—in some ways—than any of SPR, including Naru. Sometimes, though, it really hits me just how sheltered you've been."

"Everything you just said," Mai grinned again, "is completely true. Your life is good, but you're so settled in that there's no room left for surprises or adventures."

Masako raised her eyebrows, opening her mouth to interrupt. Mai's hand covering it forestalled that plan.

"I'm not talking about things you'd see in a movie, or about the adventures we have with SPR. I'm talking about clogged sinks and bad dates and spending a whole day just wandering a festival by yourself."

With a short nod, Masako pulled her friend's hand away from her mouth. "You know, when you say it like that…"

"It doesn't feel so bad?"

"It doesn't feel so hard to fix, actually."

"Really?"

"Yes, I think so. Thank you, Mai."

Mai stuck out her hand. "Glad to be of service. Give me five years and I'll be charging people for my wisdom."

"Being paid to poke your nose into someone else's business…Yes, that definitely suits you."

"Masako!"

And with that, things were back to normal between the girls. However, the situation between Mai and Naru was still up in the air as the two slowly settled into a new balance. Of course, both knew that their fragile new balance was destined to be disrupted—if not completely destroyed—in the coming weeks. Still, even as they wondered if the changes were a new form of self-inflicted torture, they couldn't help looking forward to every moment they had together, whether it was midnight confessions or their regular public teasing.

And so the moments of awkwardness grew fewer and fewer as the two adjusted to their changing world. Nothing was acknowledged, but Mai—as she kept reminding everyone—wasn't stupid. Naru was opening up, sharing more of himself with her in the final month than they had in all the years they'd been friends. The two psychics were more than that, now, but where it could lead when they were so soon to be separated they didn't know.

The days passed quickly; soon, both teens were packed and waiting for the flight that would drag them into the unknown. The parting from their friends had been difficult. Naru and Lin were the only ones who hadn't at least teared up, and both dearly wished they could forget how ridiculous Bou-san had looked with red eyes and a dripping nose. He'd kept ahold of Mai right up until she had to get in the taxi that was taking them to the airport. Naru found himself grateful that Madoka had left weeks before with his parents. Knowing her, she'd have joined in when Ayako, Yasuhara, and Takigawa began arguing over who would miss Mai the most. He couldn't even feel grateful that the argument had distracted the monk from climbing into the car with them. And finally, they were off.


	9. Chapter 9

"I love you."

The words weren't a suprise, not really. Not even the fact that they were spoken out of nowhere in the middle of the airplane's false night. Mai knew Naru was awake, and he knew the same of her. The tension had been building since they'd first sat down, ignoring the hope and despair threatening to choke them.

Still, Naru couldn't help but blink, wide-eyed, at the girl staring out into the clouds. They needed to talk, obviously, but he'd not expected those words to be the opening statement. Not that he could think of any better, which was why he'd been silent on the subject. The young man knew himself to be a less than steller speaker when emotions were involved.

Case in point: "I know." Probably not the anwer most girls would like when confessing their love.

Mai, though, smiled warmly. She knew how he was with emotions and emotional confessions. His acknowledgement-instead of refudation or outright rejection-was all the answer she needed at the moment. However...

"I do, I love you. But I'm barely eighteen, and you're not much older." Carefully, she watched his face in the window's reflection.

This time, Naru's "I know" was much heavier, a weight that had been holding him back like an anchor for the last few weeks. He glanced around, all of the lights in the surrounding seats were off, implying that they were the last two awake in their section. Not the optimal place for a private conversation, but not the worst, either.

"We have a bit over a month before I have to be back in Japan for my classes to start. You're going to be staying in England, so it's not like we can visit one weekends. I can't even afford a ticket once a year, since I'll need to work during my school breaks, too." Mai's voice was soft, calm and steady.

Naru swallowed, watched the girl he loved from the corner of his eye, trusted that she'd try not to hurt him.

"My parents might want you to come again over another break. They would pay for it-or rather, the institution would. Later on, when they've done all the tests, they'd probably hire you on as an assisstant, if you wanted."

Mai nodded her acknowledgement of the possibility. It would mean that she'd get to spend a couple of months per year working with Naru.

"Naru." She stopped him before he could continue, put her hand on the armrest between them, face up with her fingers spread.

Still not looking directly at the dark-haired man, she smiled at his face in the glass's reflection. "I'll wait for you if you'll wait for me."

Closing his eyes in relief, Naru smiled-the same smile he shared with his twin, the smile that had first drawn Mai to him. Without looking, he intertwined his fingers with hers. "It will be difficult. Long distance romances..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I've heard. Are you saying you can't do it?" Mai knew he wasn't, but it was a habit to challenge him.

"Of course not, idiot. Have you seen me fail at anything?" His smile turned smug, knowing how much that annoyed the younger psychic.

"Besides your failure to be humble, you mean? Or your failure at talking about emotions? Or-"

"I love you, too, idiot."

Mai finally turned to meet his gaze head-on. Her lips quirked into her own version of his smug smile.

"I know."

EPILOGUE-5 YEARS LATER:

Keiichi Kurokawa glanced around nervously as he entered the quiet office. The room was decently sized, with a comfortable seating area for interviews and a desk that was currently empty. On either side of the desk were closed doors that presumably led to private offices, and there was one more cracked open on the perpendicular wall through which he could see a small kitchen.

The woman he'd spoken to on the phone had said that the members of 'the team' were currently in the country and had invited him to come for an interview. Now here he was, and it looked like the team-whoever that meant-was out. If it weren't for the SPR on the door, he'd have thought that he'd come to the wrong office. It didn't look anything like he'd expected a ghost hunter's office to look. After a moment, he dedided to sit on the couch, if he was going to be forced to wait, at least he wouldn't be uncomfortable.

*BANG* The door through which he'd entered slammed open, admitting a laughing group of men and women. Keiichi blinked, noting absently how young most of the group was. One of the women noticed him right away, and, detaching herself from the group, walked over to greet him.

"Kurokawa-san, I'm sorry no one was here to greet you!" The young woman smiled cheerfully. "I wonder where Naru went?"

*BANG* One of the office doors slammed open, but instead of a cheerful group, the man in the doorway looked like he could be death himself. Pale skin, stark, handsome looks, and black hair and clothing; though he looked fairly young, the glare on his face froze Keiichi on the spot.

"This is NOT a club, people. Why are you being so loud?"

Keiichi almost held her back when the friendly girl who'd been in the midst of greeting him hurried over to the dark-haired man's side.

"Did you take a nap, Naru? We brought you back a sandwich, and I'm going to put on some tea right now. Why don't you go splash some water on your face? Or go back to your nap. I'm going to start the client's interview in just a few minutes, okay?"

"Gosh, I hope his mood doesn't last the rest of the month, Mai-chan." One of the group, a tall man with long, light-colored hair commented dryly. He draped himself over the back of one of the armchairs, suspiciously close to the red-haired woman sitting in it.

"Now, Takigawa-san, it's not Naru's fault the cold makes him grumpy." Another man, this one a Westerner with blond hair, answered.

The dark-haired man and friendly woman-who, evidentally, were two of the supernatural investigators-ignored the conversation as she gently tugged him back into his office.

Keiichi blinked, baffled, as one of the women-this one dressed in a kimono-laughed into her sleeve.

"As if Mai would allow him to let his cold ruin their wedding. She's being so nice now so that she can be as pushy as she wants to be when they're going over last-minute details this month."

The others-a smirking Chinese man in his thirties and another young man with glasses-nodded sagely, as if it were to be expected that the young, friendly girl could stand up to the rather intimidating man.

A moment later, the two rejoined the group, notebooks in hand, and sat on the loveseat across from Keiichi. The man looked slightly less frightening next to the softness of the woman. He even almost smiled when she asked one of the men-the one with glasses-to prepare the tea.

"Now, how can SPR help you?"


End file.
